Interesting content. Useful, thought-provoking, provocative.
THIS is what the web should be. Not cat videos. Not the same old Facebook memes.
Are you overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and find it difficult to find anything new online?
Here is a little perspective…in 1991 the first website was built. In September 2014, there were more than one billion (yes, one BILLION) websites. And everyday, 3.5 billion searches are conducted; that adds up to 1.2 trillion searches each year worldwide. (For more interesting statistics and trends see Internet Live Stats.)
No wonder so many people return to their regular websites and don’t venture further into the web.
BoomerTECH Adventures has done some homework for you. No, we didn’t review anywhere close to the one billion websites, but we keep our ears to the ground and our eyes on the prize! We want to introduce you to three interesting websites we think you will like. Read our descriptions, then take a look at these three sites and see what you think. More websites with provocative content will be shared in future posts.
Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth (AWTT)
What this site is about? “Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth portraits and narratives highlight citizens who courageously address issues of social, environmental, and economic fairness. By combining art and other media, AWTT offers resources to inspire a new generation of engaged Americans who will act for the common good, our communities, and the Earth.”
What are its features? The author’s biography is a good place to start to see how Shetterly’s work prior to AWTT and his focus since have evolved, why he started painting these portraits, and the influence AWTT has had since. These are wonderful stories about people who have made significant contributions to the U.S. To read them is to read real American history. This site contains a wealth of information centered on 200 portraits of Americans “who tell the truth,” from Abraham Lincoln to Cesar Estrada Chavez. From Fannie Lou Hamer to Walt Whitman to Ossie Davis to Eve Ensler. The famous and the never famous. You will enjoy these impressive stories.
What you will want to see and read. Go through the portraits gallery and look at these amazing people that Shetterly paints and writes about. With 200 portraits there are writers, activists, and thinkers from all walks of life. See also the blog for Shetterly’s posts about his travels, his work, and responses from others. Inspiring, sobering, and truthful.
(Full disclosure: My wife, Connie Carter, is the education director for Americans Who Tell the Truth.)
Newseum
What this site is about? “The Newseum’s mission is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through exhibits, public programs and education. Established and supported in part by the Freedom Forum, the Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations. The Newseum’s dynamic, engaging and interactive museum allows visitors to experience the stories of yesterday and today through the eyes of the media while celebrating the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment.”
What are its features? A great place to visit in Washington, D.C., the Newseum’s website offers a wealth of content as well. Current exhibits included at this writing—1965-Civil Rights at 50, 9/11 Gallery, The Ethics Center, Berlin Wall Gallery, the Boomer List, and many more. Each of these exhibits can be seen online with video and print content. The Newseum stands between the White House and the Capitol on Pennsylvania and is a much sought after site for conferences and special events.
What you will want to see and read. Take a look at the 2000 front pages of newspapers from all over the world that the Newseum displays on its website everyday. Interesting to see headlines from Zimbabwe, Amsterdam, or Istanbul to get a sense of the breaking news in every part of the globe. Also, don’t forget to scan the special events to read about book signings, conferences, presentations, press briefings, and more.
Common Dreams
What this site is about? “We publish a diverse mix of breaking news, insightful views, videos and press releases covering issues that resonate with progressives in every corner of the globe. Our mission is…To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. We are optimists. We believe real change is possible. But only if enough well-informed, well intentioned — and just plain fed up and fired-up — people demand it. We believe that together we can attain our common dreams.”
What are its features? Common Dreams NewsCenter, knows simply as Common Dreams, is a progressive news website publishing news stories, editorials, and a newswire of currently breaking news. Common Dreams also re-publishes relevant content from numerous other sources such as the Associated Press and well-know political writers. The website also provides links to other relevant columnists, periodicals, radio outlets, news services, and websites.
What you will want to see and read. The primary categories of this site include World, U.S., Canada, Climate, War and Peace, Economy, Rights, and Solutions. Each contain relevant content and up-to-the-minute news and information on that particular category. You may find the Solutions category especially interesting. The Common—Community Guidelines section is also intriguing as it outlines guidelines for civil comments to articles and editorials. These guidelines say a great deal about the type of articles you will find on this site.
What websites have you run across that are unique and provide interesting content ? Please let us know in the comment section below.
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